Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method for subjecting substrates to processing.
Description of the Background Art
Substrate processing apparatuses are used to subject various types of substrates such as semiconductor substrates, substrates for liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, optical disks, magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, and photomasks, and other substrates to various types of processing.
In the substrate processing apparatuses, photosensitive films (resist films) formed on substrates, for example, are subjected to development processing. During the development processing, development liquids are supplied to the resist films on the substrates. After an elapse of a predetermined time period, rinse liquids are supplied onto the substrates, the development processing is stopped, and the development liquids on the substrates are washed away. The rinse liquids on the substrates are shaken off by rotating the substrates at high speeds, so that the substrates are dried (see, for example, JP 2003-31488 A).
Generally when substrates are dried utilizing centrifugal forces, minute droplets of rinse liquids may, in some cases, remain on the substrates. The reason for this is that the minute droplets are difficult to separate from the substrates because small centrifugal forces corresponding to the masses thereof are only exerted thereon. Particularly when the minute droplets adhere to the vicinities of the centers of the substrates, the minute droplets become more difficult to remove because the smaller centrifugal forces are only exerted on the droplets.
Furthermore, hydrophilic portions and hydrophobic portions are mixed on the resist films after the development processing, so that holding forces for the rinse liquids on the resist films vary. This also causes the rinse liquids to easily remain on the substrates. When the droplets thus remain on the substrates, development defects occur.